Integrating S/4HANA (Cloud and On-Prem)

With an end-to-end service process different integration topics can be relevant to use SAP Service Cloud Version 2 in an efficient way. The Integration of an SAP S/4HANA (or SAP ECC) back end system can be a main source for delivering the system with data like customer and materials. In addition, should your service process involve on-site visits and/or in-house servicing, then you can have further integration out to SAP Fields Service Management.

In this lesson, we will explore various integration strategies and scenarios to seamlessly incorporate SAP Service Cloud Version 2 into a broader SAP ecosystem like SAP S/4HANA. Following, then you will create a service order in SAP S/4HANA Cloud started in SAP Service Cloud Version 2.

For the Integration of data from SAP S/4HANA to SAP Service Cloud Version 2 the SAP Integration Suite as integrated part of SAP BTP is used. This suite acts as an integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS), which allows for smooth and seamless integration.

SAP Integration Suite stands out due to its capacity to provide a simplified solution for integrating different types of environments, be they hybrid or heterogeneous (Cloud and/or On Prem), even at a large scale. This suite includes a range of tools specifically geared for this purpose.

The SAP Integration Suite on SAP BTP contains the following main core capabilities: 

Cloud Integration connects its system with SAP S/4HANA, SAP ERP, SAP CRM OP and so on with services in prepackaged integration content that SAP offers.​ 

SAP provides out-of-the-box integration packages for integrating SAP Service Cloud Version 2 with SAP S/4HANA Cloud and On-Premise. These packages are accessible via the SAP Business Accelerator Hub.

The packages include replication of the following master data entities:

• Business Partner (Customer – bi-directional).
• Business Partner Relationship (Contacts – bi-directional).
• Product (Uni-directional – S/4HANA the leading system).
• Equipment (S4CORE 105).
• Sales: Organization; Office; Group; and Area (S4CORE 104).
• Company (S4CORE 104).
• Equipment in ERP is replicated to SSC and then called Registered Product.

API Management leveragesopen application programming interfaces (APIs) to integrate with essential cloud services. Many cloud providers offer APIs that enable developers to interact with their services through code. These APIs define the protocols and rules for communication and data exchange across systems. ​

The APIs in general are based on the open standards Open API specification and OData. It is possible to develop your own APIs and/or to use OData APIs for a point-to-point connection of for example, Accounts.

SAP BTP uses these APIs for data mappings to integrate other customer systems like SAP ERP, SAP S/4HANA OnPrem, SAP S/4HANA Cloud, SAP CRM and SAP SuccessFactors.​

UI & Data Mash-ups combines data and functionality from different sources, including cloud services, into unified user interfaces (UIs) using the UIs and Data Mash-up tools that cloud platforms provide.​ 

With the Mash-up approach it is possible to transfer data from the source system to the target system. A replication model therefore is not needed.

In Agent Desktop select the configured HTML mash-up named "Create Service Order." When chosen, the system passes the selected customer ID from SAP Service Cloud Version 2 to the target system, SAP S/4HANA Cloud or On-Premise. In the target system, the user can manage the service order without re-entering login credentials.

SAP Cloud Integration provides predefined scenarios for system integrations, enabling SAP systems to integrate the relevant objects (e.g customer, or materials) and/or processes (e.g. Service Order Mash-up).​ To use SAP Cloud Integration capabilities and SAP Service Cloud Version 2, you need:

• SAP Service Cloud Version 2 tenant​​.
• SAP Cloud Integration tenant​​.
• Sub-account on SAP BTP with a subscription to SAP Event Mesh service​​.

The Cloud Integration (CI) as part of the Integration Suite is extended to both on-premise and cloud-based applications. The process is simplified due to the included tools and pre-constructed content that SAP manages, making integration significantly easier and smoother.

In some business scenarios also PI (Process Integration) as a Premise based Solution can be used to integrate OnPrem and Cloud – Solutions.

In the next section, we will explain the detailed steps for the customer service process.

Service Agents working on a specific Case type for a repair in SAP Service Cloud Version 2 need to access and perform defined actions in an external solution, such as SAP S/4HANA Service.

Process:

1. The Service Agent working in the front-office solution, SAP Service Cloud Version 2, creates a service order in the back-office (SAP S/4HANA Cloud / On-Premise) via an embedded mash-up. Specifically, the Service Agent selects "Service Order" in the Agent Desktop, triggering the system to jump via mash-up to SAP S/4HANA Cloud, where the service order is created.

2. The service order can then be pre-planned with services and spare parts and can be further elaborated in the back-office.

3. Once ready, the service order can be released into the SAP FSM planning board.

4. Using advanced scheduling, the best matching technician(s) can be assigned to the service order.

5. Releasing the assignment will push a notification to the technician’s mobile app.

6. Using the offline mobile app, the technician can confirm planned and unplanned effort, parts and expenses. The technician can also generate a PDF summary and capture the customer’s signature.

7. After T&M (Time and Material) Journal approval, a Service Confirmation is created with follow-up Timesheet, Goods Movements and Billing Request. The PDF summary report and other attachments are linked to the service order.

Pre-requisites

For the SAP Service Cloud Version 2 system to perform these actions in an external solution, the administrator must:

1. Enable SAP Event Mesh.
2. Enable SAP Cloud Integration.
3. Create a mash-up to embed the web page of the external solution.
4. Use the web page URL of the external solution for extracting inputs parameters in the mash-up.
5. Include a dedicated step pointing to the mash-up in one of the phases of the Case type (optional).